Komaba Ritoku

If Touya was to say he is having a good time in Academy City, then it's no lie that he is enjoying the trip here. He's meeting new people almost everyday, made a nice friend, helped a few individuals out, and so on. However, that wasn't to say everyday is all fun and games. After all, a few times he could have no fun at all. Be it from doing paperwork, making deals, talking, and so on.

"I'm hungry, nyah!" Or in this case, having to be forced to watch after some kid with a massive man right next to her who looked like a delinquent. What was his name again, right, Komaba Ritoku.

"Thank you for the help sir." The muscular teen told Touya who was secretly sweating a bit. Never having seen a teenager this tough looking before, and could possibly snap him like a twig. "I had no money to but Fremea some snacks."

"Oh...not a problem." Touya said trying to mask his fear of being crushed by this guy and his massive biceps. I mean, he's a grown man probably over half this guy in age, but man did he feel weak in comparison. Of course there's another reason why he's also so worried.

"Hey man, can you buy this drink for me? Thanks man." Another delinquent teen that while wasn't as gorilla like as Komaba, gave off a dangerous aura in a sense. Hattori Hanzou, who unlike his leather jacket friend, had on black clothing with a white cross pattern and a bandana covering his head. Besides him being many more members of Skill-Out each having fun in this Ramen cart stand Touya was at.

"..." To think, Touya had only sat down just to eat some Ramen for a little break when suddenly some little girl came in asking for some food, Freama. A blonde haired child with a beret and clothing that made her look like a doll. He agreed to pay for her when suddenly she asked if he could pay for her friends. Being the kind man he is, Touya agreed.

...Only for said friends to be a huge pack of high school ditchers who then gathered around 'thanking' him and ordering what they desired. The leader of said pack Komaba did apologize, but nonetheless still ordered his own food.

At times like this Touya wished he had a bit of his son's backbone when it came to running and escaping. To bad if he did, he'd likely get caught as unlike Touma who had a young body in its prime, Touya had an old and somewhat out of body exercise that while far from unhealthy, wouldn't last in a marathon. Sighing, the elder father just accepted his fate and prayed he wouldn't lose too much money.

Though considering how much these young men were ordering, he doubted he'd have much after.

"Her Mr." Fremea then called upon him.

"Yes." He said turning to her as he ate his own ramen, figuring he might as well enjoy what he had left.

"I wanted to say thanks for the meal, and my friends. Nyah." She told him.

"Uh..you're welcome?" Touya gave a look at the delinquents and couldn't be sure what to say. Were they her friends? Is she being forced? Maybe she's some bad girl? Touya liked to believe all people were good, but even he knew children could sometimes be less than nice. Someone seemed to notice the expression he made though and called him out.

"Hey ya old timer," The random thug said. "What, ya think we're bastards or something?!"

"Wha-I mean, uh…" Touya began not having expected to be called out. The random delinquent continuing on with another speaking as well.

"You think we're just a bunch of trouble makers!? Who are you to judge us!" The other thug said.

"Yeah! What you think you're better than us? Looking down just because you have a fancy job?" A few others joined in with Touya unsure what to say without risk of getting beat up. Lucky he didn't have to as the two thugs that started this had their heads grabbed by massive hands and then slammed into each other causing both to hiss in pain.

"Both of you." Their leader told them strenly. "Shut up."

"Y-yes Komaba!"

"Right man!"

The two instantly shut up and ate their food. Anybody else who had been ready to start a fight with Touya looked away. Their boss might be a kind man, but could also be a demon if anybody crossed him. Going double for enemy espers.

"Sorry about that sir." Komaba told him as he scowled at the two causing trouble. "I can tell for a fact you don't entirely like us, not that it isn't justified. We are technically making you waste money after all." Unlike the other members of the gang, Komaba wasn't having any crap some of his boys tried to startling this man.

He could tell this Mr, while not hating them, didn't exactly like having to be forced to waste money on a near dozen gang members. The only reason he wasn't doing anything being that the old guy didn't want any trouble, trouble Komaba would also like to avoid not wanting to hurt this man.

He knew what he did was wrong after all. Having Fremea go up to this guy and ask for food, then forcing him to accept all of them buying off his money. So the least he could do was make certain none of his members harassed the man at the least.

"Listen man," He then began. "Once we finish eating, I promise no trouble will come to you. We were more or less hungry ,and had Fremea mooch off from you. I know it doesn't justify things, but I thought I could at least explain a little."

"..Okay." Touya then said as he faced the little girl Fremea. "Just to be certain, she is...with you right? Nothing forceful?"

"Are you saying we-" Before a member could say anything, he got a glare from Komaba which shut him up. Once done, the delinquent then faced Touya again.

"I can't say her circumstances are strange, but I'll say this. She's completely with us by choice. Or how would you say, a certain girl entrusted me with her." One that the Skill-Out leader knew was part of the mark malicious part of the city. He still remembered when he first met her. It was after a few weeks when Fremea first met him by accident and somehow the two began hanging out. When suddenly she came and assumed he kidnapped her or something.

The fight was tough, and Komaba felt he might have lost had Fremea not yelled at her sister for being, how'd she say, "You stupid big sister! Nyah!" That shut the older sister down like some manga where the family felt their heart being pierced when hearing such words at them.

Anyway, after that they had a talk and eventually the girl decided to let her sister continue hanging with him so long as he kept her safe. When Fremea wasn't looking, she then threatened him that she would stick a bomb up his a$$ if he let anything happen to her sister or allow her to be harmed. Message received. Especially when she literally showed him an example by placing a bomb on a dirty twisted thug and set it off when it was inside his butt.

Last he heard, that man is unable to use the restroom at all properly. Death would have been better.

"I see..oddly enough, I believe you." Touya said surprising the leader a bit. He had expected just silence as his answer or the guy running off, not this. As for Touya, he wasn't sure why either, but when he looked at the kid and then at the man, he just felt he was being honest, nothing more. Plus his eyes...kinda reminded him of Touya, having resolution. He trusted his son, so in turn he somehow found himself trusting this man.

"Though I can assume it isn't easy looking after her." Touya then said with the leader giving a curt nod with a small groan.

"Hehe, you bet." He said making sure Fremea didn't hear all that. "She's a good friend, and I do care for her. But…"

"Let me guess." Touya interrupted already having an idea. "She tries to protect you whenever a..fight occurs." Even Touya wasn't dense to know that this obvious group of men were part of a gang. Plus judging from what he saw from that girl, he could tell she might be the type to help her friends.

"Definitely." Komaba acknowledged. Fremea is a good kid, but even kids can be a bit of a pain sometimes. Like how she sometimes snuck sneakily to join him whenever he was facing an esper abusing their powers. Oh man, it wasn't easy from there.

"She's a sweet kid, but even she can cause trouble for me." Komaba chuckled taking a glance at his small friend. Funny how people such as them could become such good pals. It had its ups and downs, but it was fine the way that was.

"I know how that feels." Touya said remembering his own friends. "I made a good pal out of a nice girl. Though even she can be a bit of a troublemaker. Mainly because she's always having mood swings whenever I say something she apparently doesn't like and punches me. Woman."

"I can agree to that." Komaba said. He then ate a bit of the ramen he ordered slurring it with happiness. It was nice having a good meal now and then, even if it was through forceful ways. After all, when someone is in a gang and ditches school constanty, the city cuts off the daily stipend since they were no longer giving valuable information being part of the esper curriculum. Thus they had to scavenge for food to sometimes stealing it. Like what they did to Touya.

"You know, your relationship kind of reminds me a bit like my son." Touya then said making the leader raise a brow.

"Oh, how so?" He asked.

"Well, I can assume when you first found Fremea, you helped her, correct?" Komaba nodded at that. "Well, my son found this girl, and while I don't know all the details, he also helped her."

"Sounds like an interesting kid you got. You must have a lot of trust in him." Touya gave a small smile at that.

"Yeah, I do. How about you guys though, don't you have parents?" Touya then asked wondering if Komaba and any other of the delinquents contact their own parents.

"...Not really." Skill-Outs leader admitted. "While many students do talk to their parents, those like us don't since we had...trouble with them."

"I guess I can understand a bit of that." Touya also knew Touma hasn't been contacting him much either. Perhaps it was because his son wanted to be independent, teenage problems, or whatever thing Touma had ongoing. "In any case, at least you and Fremea seem to get along fine."

"More or less." Komaba did enjoy his time with all his friends and allies. Heck, he almost died one time actually in truth, when he faced Accelerator of all people. He had been ready to kill himself then and there, to reinforce his beliefs even if it meant losing those he held dear. When suddenly when he shot at Accelerator the bullet didn't HIT him as he expected. Instead it missed him but he somehow still got knocked out.

By the time he woke up he was in a hospital room with some of his friends like Fremea and Hattori were there waiting for him. Apparently some crazy stuff went down with Hamazura taking charge then vanishing with words stating he was now serving some rich girls whim while his ninja ally took over. Once he was healed, he then took over as leader and went back to his everyday life.

Even though he doubted the Number 1 would care, he was grateful for the esper for letting him live. Heck, he even took out some targets that he had planned to go against later on. Thankfully the number one took care of them, as while Komaba knew his Skill-Out gang was strong, even he realized sometimes a Level 0 couldn't always beat espers, especially the higher level ones. Accelerator proving that fact.

'Wonder how that monster is doing?' Komaba thought about that white monster. Shrugging his shoulders, he decided to forget it. He then stood up and made a hand motion for his boys to get ready to leave. Most of them already finished anyway and were just goofing off now.

"Well, time to get going now. Fremea! Ready?" He then told the small child who nodded.

"Yes nyah!" Chuckling, he then faced Touya and grabbed something from the inside of his leather jacket. He then threw a small card which Touya caught and looked at it. A small card that held the name of the Skill-Out leader.

"If you ever need assistance, then use that." Komaba said as he began leaving. :Consider it a thanks for all the food Mr.."

"Kamijou. Kamijou Touya." Touya replied with the teen himself smirking while the resident ninja frowned. Feeling like he heard that name somewhere before. Eh, whatever. He had a date with a certain Anti-Skill officer with wicked curves anyway.

With that the numerous teens left to aid the weak once again. Not that Touya knew of course as currently he is now busy dealing with the aftermath of the large meal he bought. Such misfortune.

And done. A world where Komaba survived thanks to the power of imagination and me controlling the situation to my liking. In any case, Touya just made a nice connection with some interesting people...while also losing his cash in the process. Was it worth it, no idea. Until next time.